Values-Based Monitoring and Evaluation of Quality Assurance Programs in Higher Education

Abstract

Values-Based Monitoring and Evaluation has emerged as a normative and transformative approach that integrates institutional and societal values into the design, implementation, and use of monitoring and evaluation systems. Within higher education, quality assurance programmes are increasingly expected not only to demonstrate compliance and effectiveness but also to reflect values such as equity, accountability, integrity, inclusivity, and continuous improvement. This conceptual paper critically examines the definition, principles, practices, and processes of Values-Based Monitoring and Evaluation as applied to higher education quality assurance programmes. Drawing on extant and contemporary literature in evaluation theory, quality assurance, and higher education governance, the paper interrogates conceptual ambiguities, theoretical underpinnings, contextual applications, and methodological limitations in current Values-Based Monitoring and Evaluation scholarship. The paper further identifies key research gaps and proposes a refined conceptual framework to guide future empirical and applied research. The study contributes to the advancement of evaluation theory and practice by positioning Values-Based Monitoring and Evaluation as a bridge between technocratic quality assurance models and value-driven institutional transformation in higher education.